Meet Your Vendor
I was born in the Philippines, in Manila. I am the youngest: I have one sister and four brothers. I lived with my mum. I don’t know my dad, I never met him.
My mum got remarried in 1996, and she moved to Australia. I lived with my aunty for a few years until my mum brought me out to Australia in 2002. It was very different here. When I first came to Melbourne, when I came to the airport, it was very, very cold – in January. I wanted to cry because I wanted to go back to the Philippines. I missed my friends. I used fight with my mum, begging her to let me go back. My mum sent me to the Philippines for eight months – then I came back to Australia and stayed.
I went to school to study English first, then computers, at the CAE (Centre for Adult Education). At school in Manila, I liked mathematics and English and science sometimes. Then I applied for a busking permit – it was free at that time – so I could sing songs at Christmastime. I love ‘Jingle Bells’ and any Christmas songs. I like music, I like singing, I like karaoke. My favourite song is by Willie Revillame, he’s a Filipino singer and actor. I make TikToks of my singing, dancing and praying. I go to church every Sunday and Wednesday. It’s very important to me.
In 2014, my stepfather Jim died of cancer. He was a nice person. My mum and me, we started fighting. I got a job doing office work, cleaning, until 2020. That’s when I last saw my mum, during COVID.
For the last three months, I’ve lived in a hotel in the city. The NDIS pays for my hotel. I have a support worker help me twice a week. I am happy. Before that, I lived with my friend from church in Canterbury. And before that I was sleeping in the street. It was terrible, it was cold: sleeping in the street is very bad.
Before The Big Issue, I was looking for work; nobody would give me work. I met Tim, a vendor, in the city when I was busking on Bourke Street Mall. He gave me a card, and said, “Come tomorrow to the office and someone will help you.” Selling The Big Issue for the first time was very, very hard. I’ve gotten better at it: sometimes I sing on my pitch or call out, “Big Issue! Big Issue!”
The Big Issue is good, it’s helped me a lot. I like talking to people – you meet many good and friendly people, especially when you smile. When you’re happy, more people come and stop by.
I like selling when I go on holidays: I’ve sold in Sydney once, Brisbane and Adelaide. The Gold Coast is my favourite place. I get to see new people, new friends, new voices of The Big Issue. I love it.
To all my customers, thank you very much for supporting me and The Big Issue team. Have a wonderful day!
Jeffrey sells The Big Issue on Chapel St, Windsor and Fitzroy St, St Kilda, Melbourne
Interview by Amy Hetherington
Photo by James Braund
Published in ed#739